Saturday, June 2, 2018
Colossians 3:1 . . . set your hearts on things above . . .
KEEP FOCUSED ON THE LIFE TO COME
When a Hollywood actor was asked why he had divorced several times, he replied that he could not imagine spending his entire life with only one partner. How could he know that there was not someone else better suited to him?
Behind the thoughts of this actor is the idea that this life is all there is. All that matters is cramming as many experiences as possible into a limited amount of time. All concerns about hurting other people or offending God must be cast aside.
The risen Savior has freed us from a selfish and self-destructive life. By dying for our sins Jesus revealed the futility of trying to find happiness by fulfilling the desires of the flesh. He showed us that those things are works of death that end in death. Because of Jesus we don't have to spend our life trying to pack everything we can into the few years we have, for we have an eternity of perfect joy ahead of us.
Because of our focus on the life to come, we Christians are often accused of neglecting this life and this world. Far from it. We are the only ones capable of fully appreciating and making the best use of our life here. We recognize that this life is crucial -- that it is a time of grace, given by God to repent and believe in His Son. We know that the time entrusted to us is a precious resource, to be used wisely to serve God who gives it.
But because we have the flesh, the world looks like a place to stay rather than a place to pass through. But it only looks good when considered by itself. It can't stand comparison with the place that Jesus has gone to prepare for us.
So when this world looks good, and you are tempted to make it your home, compare it with what Jesus has promised -- a world without death, sorrow, or pain (Revelation 21:4). Now that's a place to stay.
-- From the "Lutheran Spokesman"
